And that's why I believe -- and I have seen with my experience in the Senate the value of public hearings -- when FBI Director Mueller has to answer these questions, when CIA Director Tenet has to answer why the president wasn't warned in the August 6 briefing about the tall buildings being in jeopardy, the White House and the CIA headquarters.

Wait a minute, wait a minute. Sen. Kennedy just propounded a very, very long question. Now let him (Roberts) answer the question.

Nominees answer about as many questions as they think they have to to be confirmed,

He did not give a definitive answer because obviously that question is going to be before the court again; it's going to be on the next term, ... But I think he - as they said in the old song, 'Kansas City,' he went about as far as he could go.

He cannot be required to answer how he's going to decide a case that might come before the court, ... That would undercut the very basics of judicial independence.

But I think he did answer many, many important questions, such as he solidly affirmed the right to privacy

resist, if not refuse to confirm, Supreme Court nominees who refuse to answer questions on fundamental issues.